Members Player99 Posted January 21, 2012 Members Share Posted January 21, 2012 So why do guitar companies get the builder guy to design guitars? Most builders start out repairing, and when they do build, they make copies of classic designs. They are not designers or artists. When Porsche wants a new design they don't look for the best mechanic to design the car. They hire a design engineer. A car design artist. What guitar companies need to do is find a really good artist/sculpture who is very knowledgeable about guitars- the history, classics, all the different makers and model who also plays at a very high level. Contract that guy to come up with a new design, not the mechanic. What got me thinking about this was the new Tyler Variax. I am a strat player and so I am interested in the Tyler 69 model. But the design sucks for me. The headstock looks like an old cow jawbone. The pickguard is chopped off. The black bridge pickup looks out of place. So I went the Tyler guitar site and his designs are...well...not for me. I know some people think the opposite, but I was less than impressed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jenesis Posted January 21, 2012 Members Share Posted January 21, 2012 csb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members triviani Posted January 21, 2012 Members Share Posted January 21, 2012 Got a point though .. we need more Teuffel and less Ibanez Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Player99 Posted January 21, 2012 Author Members Share Posted January 21, 2012 csb ? Please explain csb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members big69 Posted January 21, 2012 Members Share Posted January 21, 2012 Got a point though .. we need more Teuffel and less Ibanez we need less tueffel and less ibanez Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mcmurray Posted January 21, 2012 Members Share Posted January 21, 2012 Cool story bro. I agree with you, however. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members big69 Posted January 21, 2012 Members Share Posted January 21, 2012 ? Please explain csb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Player99 Posted January 21, 2012 Author Members Share Posted January 21, 2012 Got a point though .. we need more Teuffel and less Ibanez Ha! I was think more in the classic design vein. It is hard to improve on a strat, tele, Les Paul, 335, Gretch... Whenever a builder does, to me it looks like something is missing. I also think that headstock design is really important. So many headstock designs look bad IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cobalt-60 Posted January 21, 2012 Members Share Posted January 21, 2012 Yeah, been thinkin that for years. Mindboggling. You know, I am an artist, and design guitars a lot... any takers? Anyone? (watches tumblewheat go by) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Player99 Posted January 21, 2012 Author Members Share Posted January 21, 2012 crickets chirping Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cryptosonic Posted January 21, 2012 Members Share Posted January 21, 2012 and thus begins again the dead instrument argument Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members the Dodo Posted January 21, 2012 Members Share Posted January 21, 2012 Wrong IMHO. You can Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Player99 Posted January 21, 2012 Author Members Share Posted January 21, 2012 If you can't come up with a new design, don't change the classics in a way that is detrimental to the original. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members the Dodo Posted January 21, 2012 Members Share Posted January 21, 2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cryptosonic Posted January 21, 2012 Members Share Posted January 21, 2012 I got no problem with any of those really but the Fender pickguard/controls could use a different layout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Player99 Posted January 21, 2012 Author Members Share Posted January 21, 2012 I got no problem with any of those really but the Fender pickguard/controls could use a different layout. What would you do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TomCray Posted January 21, 2012 Members Share Posted January 21, 2012 The way I see it is the Tele was designed by a mechanic, and the Firebird X was designed by an artist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cobalt-60 Posted January 21, 2012 Members Share Posted January 21, 2012 I'll take that. Gun metal black PG, with thin, white laser etching outline line, have the F be filled in with a lighter metal in some modern mesh pattern. Standard Tele PU hardware, standard tele flat top chrome knobs. Rosewood fretboard with dots and black finished headstock with white lettering. Maybe block on rosewood. Strat input on the side. What do I win? But what's missing from the designs? Everything. Most new guitars are clearly not designed by anyone with a shred of visual/graphic design schooling/experience. They aren't balanced, the colors are horrid, and there's no consistency in style from the the body, to the logo, to the colors, to the hardware. The ones made by designers are usually hacks, and they don't understand they're making a utilitarian object. While stylish, the style shouldn't over the fact it's a tool. Taste basically. They're missing taste, talent and class. Just take the colors. The colors. Jeebus, you think they'd never stepped outside in the past 15 years. Nobody uses the colors they do anymore. Somebody please take guitar designers to their nearest car dealership, and show them what colors people are using nowadays. Worked for Fender in the 50s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Eburst Posted January 21, 2012 Members Share Posted January 21, 2012 MusicMan hired a Graphic Artist from BMW to design the Bongo Bass-that was a resounding success. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members THAT4301 Posted January 21, 2012 Members Share Posted January 21, 2012 I AGREE WITH YOU, OP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members triviani Posted January 21, 2012 Members Share Posted January 21, 2012 I wonder why is it that difficult to evolve guitar designs. Teles strats and Les Pauls seem to just work fine, even for "modern" musicians. It's like people were driving 50s design cars these days! But for some reason classic Fenders and Gibsons still look just right, were they so ahead to their time they still didn't got to their life cycle end? A lot of new designs have been tried, but we all tend to find the older designs more appealing and comfortable to use. Don't forget it's not only design as in the looks but ergonomics should be the most important point for a new design (the firebird X atrocity comes to mind).. Parker tried it in the 90s, yet no many of these are seen on pubs and shows. I said Teuffel because they are different to anything done before and people who tried them say the play so good. )We may just need a Chinese copy for a 1/10 of the price) I just know I love my Les Paul, Tele and jaguar! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Player99 Posted January 21, 2012 Author Members Share Posted January 21, 2012 This guitar is a problem for me- Half the top of the neck is burried in the body. I want my thumb to be wrapped around the neck, and sometimes I use my thumb to press the E string. Design has killed function. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members THAT4301 Posted January 21, 2012 Members Share Posted January 21, 2012 agreed, I like to make barre chords with my thumb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members who235 Posted January 21, 2012 Members Share Posted January 21, 2012 The only possible use I would have for that monstrosity is as an axe to chop down another tree to build a Tele with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members triviani Posted January 21, 2012 Members Share Posted January 21, 2012 Yap, I like the thumb over the neck too. But the worst problem I see to this guitar is that you have to be a badass good guitarist. You cannot sow up with it and just play some noob chops.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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